Propeller-shaft.



F. E. WATTS.

PROPELLEH SHAFT.

APPLlcATloN FILED D Ec.a. 1914.

Patented Sept. 21, 1915.

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FRANK E. WATTS7 l OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION 0F MICHIGAN.

0F DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO HUPP MOTOR CAR COMPANY,

To all whom it may concern ,f

citizen of the United States of America, re-

siding at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Propeller-Shafts, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings. v

'The invention relates'to propeller shafts for automobiles or the like, and has. among the objects thereof to provide a novel construction of propeller shaft which will act to carry the lubricant from the forward universal joint to the rear universal joint.

The invention resides in the peculiar construction, arrangement and combination of parts as will be more fully hereinafter setl forth.

In the drawings, the figure is alongitudinal sectional view through a propeller shaft embodying theinvention.

A designates the transmission case of an automobile or similar vehicle, and B is the e'nd of the transmission shaft. The end B projects without the end of the casing andlis connected to the propeller shaft C, by

`ing past the bearing G, andl is an oil-tight packing/between the sections E and F.

The lower end of the propeller shaft Gis 4attached by means of a universal joint J to I a shaft K that drives a dierential or other gearing on the rear axle. The joint .l also -is inclosed within a housing L composed of Patenten sept. ai, iets.

application 'mee December e, wie. serial No. amica sections connected together for universal movement. A l c.

It' is of course, desirable to lubricate both the universal joints D and elf. The universal mission casing, and in order to provide a simple manner of supplying lubricant to the rear universal joint il, thepropeller shaft as 'shown is made hollow and has the opposite ends communicating respectively with the casings D and L. Suiiicient lubricant passes from the transmission case into the housing for the joint D to properly lubricate the latby gravity to the casing L 'and lubricate the joint J. V

The arrangement just described is a very 'simple manner of efecting a lubrication of the rearuniversal joint, since no additional parts are required, for it is usual to lnclose the universal joints in housings.

What I claim as my invention isz- The combination with two rotating memjoint D receives lubricant from the transv entering the upper'end of* the shaft will How bers, of an inclined hollow shaft transmitting rotation between said members, universal joints between said members vand said. hollow shaft, and housings respectively in- 4closing said joints, the passage through the lshaft having-direct communication througl'av the shaft extremities with said housings, the

inclination of the hollow shaft being utilized tot produce a flow of lubricant from the upper to the lower housing.

In testimony whereof I ahx my signature4 witnesses. FRANK E. WATTS.

in presence of two i Witnesses:

DON T. I-IAs'rINGs, GRANvmmi C. Ammon. 

